Altoona's main public gathering space is Heritage Plaza. Built in the
early 90s, it never lived up to expectations, as its timing aligned
with a long period of economic malaise throughout the central business
district and its program quickly became dated. Happily, Altoona is experiencing a renaissance. The new Sheetz
Center for Entrepreneurial Excellence and Penn State-Altoona's downtown campus are both within a block of the site. Specialty retail and
associated residential units are returning, and a spirited creative
culture is taking hold.In
late 2016 a
small group of local leaders approached me to prepare a redevelopment
concept for Heritage Plaza and its immedidate context. The new program
was
largely based on a +400-respondent survey I'd conducted in preparation
for an earlier studio excercise. Residents, local merchants and artists
wanted to celebrate the town's unique rail heritage. They called for
performance space, a multi-use market pavilion, kids' water play,
outdoor cafés, enhanced pedestrian circulation, and robust green
infrastructure. The concept envisions reinforced linkage to the
Intermodal Transportation Center and Amtrak Station. A roof-top viewing deck atop the Rail
Station Café (converted from an historic Pullman coach) affords a sweeping view of the rail yard and Railroaders Memorial
Museum, and a new pedestrian bridge links to local schools
and UPMC's regional medical complex. Sight lines northerly to the iconic
cupola of the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament are strengthened, and re-used plaza
pavers form an elevated pedestrian crossing at the 11th Ave. / 14th St.
intersection to calm traffic and invite passersby into the plaza.The design was prepared in collaboration with Shiyang He (MLA '17). Richard Karcher, AIA, was project initiator and facilitator.
Local partners included the City of Altoona, Penn State Altoona
Chancellor's Office, Downtown Altoona Business Community, and Allegheny Ridge Corporation. The plaza concept has
been widely embraced, and fund raising is ongoing. The Altoona Mirror recently covered the story of Heritage Plaza's revival.